Soul Calibur II is the long-awaited sequel to one of the all-time greatest fighting games.įor the majority of players, the most significant difference between Soul Calibur II and its predecessor will be cosmetic, though the visuals haven't been overhauled completely. Nevertheless, on its own terms, Soul Calibur II is by all means a great fighting game, and Namco has done a fine job of making each respective console version equally enticing. That also means Soul Calibur II won't impress you as much as its predecessor, since you've seen most of these characters, their weapons, and their moves before, and the available gameplay modes are nothing out of the ordinary. If you played and enjoyed the original Soul Calibur, chances are good that you'll also enjoy the sequel since it's so much like the first game. So, considering that 1999's Soul Calibur for the Dreamcast is widely considered to be a flawless fighting game, maybe that explains why Namco didn't take many risks with the sequel, which has finally hit the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube.
This game is amazingly put together, one cannot improve upon perfection. Time Attack challenges players to defeat opponents in record time, while Practice helps players familiarize themselves with the various moves characters can perform. Arcade mode is based on the 2002 coin-op game, Versus has players battling a friend, Survival is a test of endurance against a steady flow of enemies, and Team Battle involves pitting two groups of characters against one another.
Once new weapons are acquired, ranging from battle-axes and swords to staves and spears, they can be used in other modes of play. Players engage rival fighters while advancing across a world map and must satisfy specific conditions to win, such as performing a combo attack, defensive move, or throwing an enemy off a platform. Seven modes include Arcade, Versus, Survival, Team Battle, Time Attack, Practice, and Weapon Master, which offers players a chance to collect over 200 weapons while fulfilling a character's distinct storyline. The few who survived plan on battling for the enchanted weapon once more, some to destroy it, some to harness its power for their own gain. Worse yet, illness and strange happenings have befallen those who once fought for control of the evil blade. Transformed into an entity called Nightmare, the once noble knight is rumored to have caused widespread death and destruction throughout the latter half of the 16th century. Infecting anyone who wields it with a lust for power and domination, the sword had most recently found its way into young Siegfried's inexperienced grip. The story begins as the mysterious and powerful Soul Edge makes its presence known to the world. In addition to a retooled 3D engine featuring eight-way directional movement, a lineup of ten new characters has entered the fray, including Cassandra, Sophitia's younger sister, Necrid, a character designed by comic book artist Todd McFarlane, and Nintendo's Link from The Legend of Zelda, a GameCube exclusive. Among the 13 returning characters from the series, which began in 1995 as Soul Edge, are Astaroth, Ivy, Hwang, Kilik, Xianghua, Taki, Heishiro, Voldo, and Nightmare.
0 kommentar(er)
